Both Defendant and Partner for Climate Change? Fighting Royal Dutch Shell in Civil Court

Niké Wentholt & Luna Bonvie. In May 2021, the Dutch district court in The Hague came to a long-awaited conclusion in a so-called ‘climate case’, deciding in favour of a group of Dutch plaintiffs and ordering oil-corporation Royal Dutch Shell to reduce its CO2 emissions by net 45% within 10 years. Although the ruling is globally considered as a legal victory in the battle against climate change, its importance can best be understood from a broader perspective. Niké Wentholt and Luna Bonvie wrote a blogpost about the meaning of the judgement from a social-legal angle. The post is published on the blog Justice in Conflict, which is dedicated to exploring challenges surrounding international justice and run by dr. Mark Kersten. Read the blogpost here.  

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